Shop tractor



June 4, 1929.

R. J. BURROWS SHOP TRACTOR Filed May 7, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet l June 4, 1929. A VAMBURROWS y 715,639

SHOP TRACTOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 LTRN I June 4, 1929. R BUROWS 1,715,639

SHOP TRACTOR Filed May 7, 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 4, 1929. R. J. BuRRows sHoP TRACTOR Filed May 7,'

1925 6 SheetsSheet 4 June 4, 1929- R. J. BURRows 1,715,639

sHoP TRACTOR l A Filed May 7, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 4, 1929Q R. J. BURROWS SHOP TRACTOR Filed May '7, 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Infm'm" j. enough to operate in the aisles or other spaces between fixedl machinery, and must beso conf, `structed as to be capable of being inaneuvered'- Patented une: 4i, y 1929,.. Y Y

UNITED) sfr/,Aras

COMPANY,` or BUCHANAN, MICHIGAN, 5A CCILPCRA'IICN Yor MICHIGAN.

snor-TRACTOR; 1-

Application led May 7, 1.92.3. Serial No.V 637,150. i

My invention relates generally to motor ve-A hicles of the type employing aninternal comibustion engine as the motive power, and Yhas particularly to Vdo .with what are known as shoptractors-thatis to say, comparatively small motor vehicles adapted to be usedin 1 shops, railway stations and other places for pulling or pushing from place to place trucks used for the-transportation of articles of various sorts. Obviously tractors of'this character to be success-ful must be small in narrow Spaces, around sharp corners, and in other difficult situations; they must also be very flexible of control, so that they can ber easily started, stopped 4or reversed; they must have su'tlicient power to handle a great variety of loads; they must be capable of operating eciently over rough or unequal roads or runways, and theyinust be sturdily built so as to n withstand the comparatively rough usage to which they areapt to be subjected. To provide a tractor which will meet these requirements, and which will also possess Yvarious other advantages overv the tractors heretofore produced, is the object of my present invention. I accomplish this object as illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter described.v is set forth in they qWhat I regard as new claims.V Y Y Y y .In the accompanying drawings,- Fig. 1 is a perspective view ofmy improved tractor;

Fig. 2 isa horizontal section on line 2-2 of* Fig. 5,' illustrating more particularly the mounting of the driving element of the prof peller shaft; L Y i Y.

: Fig. 3 is principally a side elevation, ysorne y parts being in longitudinal `vertical section,v

` Fig. 4L is a plan View of the chassis;4 AFig. 5 is a partialfront elevatioinsorne parts'being in section Y Y Fig. G isa 'sideelevatioiu partly in section, showing'a modification;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the chassis shown in Fig; r6, some parts being broken away; and

Fig. 8 is a ypartial vertical Across-section ony line r8MS of Fig. 6. l

Y Referring to the drawings,-1O indicates the frame of the chassis which, as best shown in Figs. 4L andr, is preferably composedof a channel bar bent to U-shape, the side inemf bers beingbent interinediately vtoward eachA other` so that thefront end portion of the ROBERT J. BURRCWS, oF BCIIANAN, MICHIGAN, AssrcrNoR .TC'CLARK TIVUC'IRACTOR,A A`

frame is narrower than the rear end portionY` thereof to provide sufficient space for the turn` j ing'of the front wheelsl in'steering. At its ends the vframe lOis'provided with upright transversely disposed bumper plates 11, 12,-.v

best shown inFig. 1, the lower ends of whichl framefwhiletheir upper ends extend to .a

extend slightly below the lower margin of thej are firmly braced, -as by bracespl, shownin Fig..1", so that they may bev used as bumpers for pushing ltrucks 'from plac'e'to place. They i also serve as dashboardsjto protect the opera-A tor, aswell asthe parts'inounted on the frame.

itsirear end the frame 10 is provided-with `a draft plate 14, shownfin Fig.r 4, which', is

fixedly secured to the frainelv and is adapt-A ed to be used as a coupling device for coupling trucks to the tractor so that they may be hauled thereby.

lUpon the fui-aine 10 mounted a removable I hood or housing 15 :which encloses the motor and otheroperating parts mounted on the frame and alsosupports the drivers seat 1G, best shown in'Fig. 1which is placed infrontv of the motor and over the transmission gearing. VIn Afront'of the drivers seat theframe 10 is provided with a platform 17 shown in Figs. l and 4.

At the lrearthe frame is supported by ai rear axle 18 enclosed inIk a` housing 19 fand.`

shown .in detail, asvit may bey of any ap;

.operatively vconnectedv Vwith. .rear traction proved type, such'as arecominonlyused in automobile construction, having thel usual differential gearing and arranged rto be driven by means of apropeller shaft.l As best shown inFigs. Land 3, the'frame 1'0i`s mounted on therear axle bymeans of two quarter-elliptic springs 21, the bases. orin-` flexible end portions ofl whichare fixedly se' cured to the side 'members of the framev 10 by clips 22 and plates 23,' while theflexible endsof said springs extend rearwardly land v are non-rotatably`v secured tov the end gpor.-

tions of the rear axle housing 19 by clips 24 n and plates 25, 2G. As shown inFigs y1 and i y 3, the frontends of the springs 21j are atitached lto the frame 1()A about inidwayrof the length thereof, andthe rear'portion-,of fthe frame overhangs the rear axle andrear wheels. Also, as shown inv Fig. 3, the engine ormotor and the other operating parts of llO 5, 'fromV which power is transmitted to theV rear axle, as will be hereinafter described. The transmission gearing 1s operated m the usual way by a lever 61 and any suitable gear ly used x viou'sly,

shift mechanism, such as the H type com-monin automobile construction. Ob-

consequently the shaft 58 will be rotated, its

f speed and direction being determined bythe connections of the transmission gearing andv engage the clutch members, theyv being nor mally held in engagement with each other f by a spring in the usual way. rThe crank 63y jointed propeller is actuated by means of a foot lever 611 shown in Fig. 1, which has a pedal 65 conveniently accessible to the driver,'said clutch lever .being mounted on a rock 'shaft 66 journaled in the sidemembers of the frame 10 and provided with an upright arm 67, shown in Figs. 3 and 5, which is connected tothe crank 63 Yby a connecting rod 68 shown in Fig. The arrangement is such that by depressing the pedal 65 the clutch members vwill be disengaged, asis usual in automobile construction;

Power lis transmitted from the sprocket wheely 60 to the rear axle 18 by means of a link belt 69 which runs over said sprocket wheel and over a sprocket wheel 70 mounted upon and keyed to the driving member 71 of a shaft, the other members of which are a stub shaft 72 which is connected with the 'differential gearing of the rear axle in the ordinaryv way, andan intermediate member 7 8 which is connected to the members 71 and 72, respectively, by universal or flex* 7 ible couplings74, 75 of any suitable descrip- `tion, although I prefer to employ connections of theflexible disc type, as shown in Fig. 3.

rlhe propeller shaft member 7 lis arranged so thaty it extends fore and aft under Vthe clutch housing V59 at the front end of the tractor and is mounted in anti-friction bearings 76, 77 contained ina housing 78 which is supported by a cross-beam 79 secured to the side members of the frame l0, as shown in Fig. 2. Preferably the housing 78 is made inteOi-al with the beam 79 and is provided withl removable end plates 80, so that access may be conveniently had to the interior thereof. The sprocket wheel 70 is mounted'on the for'` ward end of the shaft 71 and is keyed therey to by a key or spline 81 which `also :serves to key upon said shaft a brake drum 82, shown in Fig. 2, from which it will be seen thatsaid brake drum 1s mounted uponthe front end of the member 71 and. is held in place bwaA nut 83 and a washer 84. Thus-the brake drum when the members of the clutch 56 Vare in operative engagement with each other, `the' cam shaft 55 will drive the shaft 57, and

-erably by is readilyaccessible from the frontfofV the tractor and the'brake' may be conveniently.' 1 .I adjusted.` The arrangement of the brake is best shown inFigs. 2 and 5, 85 indicating an external brake' band which extends around .i

the brake drum 82 and is'isupported intermen diately by a bracket 86 "adjustably .mounted on anl arm 87 supported by .the vbeam 79, as.V

best showniin Fig. 2.` Theseparated'endsof the'brak'eband 85y are arranged to be drawn'` foot lever 88 loosely Ymounted l and 4. The

so with the outerend of a lever-91, the inner end of which is pivotally connected by a pivot 92 wi-th one end ofthe brake band 85. rIhe lever 91 is alsol connected intermediately thereof 'by a pivot 98 with a connecting rod -94 which extends upwardly through a guide bracket 95 and is fadjustably connected at its upper end by a nut 96 and a sleeve 97 with the opposite end depressing the pedal 89 the. rod 90 willbe thrust downward, `thereby rdepressing the outer endv of the lever 991 and-*consequently of the brake'band 85. 'Ihusbyl drawing together they yseparated en'dsof the Y i brake band so that Athe brake bandis caused to grip the brakeV drum'82. A spring,.,not

shown, is of course provided to normallyV hold the brake band in its inoperative posi-I tion.v

are in engagement with each other and the From the foregoing description it will be runderstood thatwhen the clutch members shaftr58 is connected. therewith, either di- Y ,Y

rectly or throngh'the transmission gearing, the shaft member 71 will be rotated ln'one direction or the other, thereby driving the tractor'willvbe driven at half the speed vat which it would be driven if power-werei taken directly rfrom the crank shaft instead'y of from the cam shaft, with the resulting advantages helreinbefore pointed out. By arranging the forward portion of the propeller llOv shaft under theV clutch housing or transmis-` sion gear case, which vin the present instance are combined, I am able to make the Vwheel base much shorteigso that tlie'tractor can be maueuvered lvery-readily '1n confined spaces and-thereforeA is peculiarly suitable for use in shops and'factories where fixed machine tools and piles ofvraw material leave little,

room for its passage.

In Figs. 6, 7 and8 I have shown aY modified.

arrangement Yby which I provide a three-r wheeledvtractor instead'of a four-,wheeled one as shown in the otherligures. In such medie 'fied Aconstruction theV front end of the tractor is provided centrally with an upright cylindrical head 98 the bore ofthe head Q8-extends the tubular which is firmlysecured, pref-Y Y bolts 99,'t'o the platform 17. Intov Y 130,.

rear axle andA propelling the'tracton' The'V Y' z which, is` mounted a. shaft 102, .as :shownin I Fig.,8. This. shaft carries anti-friction bear- Y ings-1,03 on :which is mounted a tground,Wheel 104.1It isapparentthat by turning thelstem 1 100fabou'tavertical axis thewheel 104;;1nay be turned to steer the tractor,v and 'for the purposeof rotatingl the stein 1003it is connected tota steering; rod 105A which rises through the head 98 and is provided at its upper end with the usual steering Wheel. i Around thesteering rod105. Within the head 98 i-s a'springwtoirangedfto exert downward pressure ontheupper end .of the steinl 100, therebyyieldingly supportingthe front portion of the tractor upon the front Wheel.`` In; this modified ,ar-

,-rangementj because ofi-.the central vlocation .of Vtheiront Wheehitxis` desirable` to mo-unt the brake .drum `upon the rear endof the propeller 'shaft'. member `71` insteadot' the front end thereof" as the, earlier views.- This-modified arrangement is bestshoxvn in'Figs. ,G and 7 5. inwhich 10T indicates the brake @drum kand 108 the brake band. Intlnis arrangementl "emptoya brake lever 1.09 pivotal-ly; tulcrumed between bracletsllOxsecured tothe frame Aof the tractor, V`saidlever being connected. by a I. connecting; rodflll with a@ leverll, one end members ofthe propellersha ft connected together i `by universal s connections 115,116 of Vtheball@andsocket type, as connect-i ons .ot that type are preferablenwhere the brake drum is locatedat the-rear.. end ,of the front member of vthe propeller shaft, ,although either.viornrmay be usedin either case.V

p :Having thus described the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accoinpa ng drawings, ,I wish it. to Joe understood that it is i :not restricted [to the specific 'fea-tures of Aconstruction illustrated l.and described, .ex--

cept in so faras th: y.areparticularly claimed, but includes generically the st bjiect matter pointedfout in; the broad-er claims, .and such modifications or variations thereotastwonld l occur tof those skilled in` the art.

.What II, claim as my; inventioinand desi-re Y and.` chain-mechanismfoonnectingsaid transto-secure byfLetters Patent, is 1.; A motor. vehiclecomprising aoframe,

frontaal-d rearwvheels'sn aortinosaid traine C 7 a motor monntedfon sai-d frame, a; propeller .shaft extendingl forward under theiinotor and operatively connected-w1th the rearwvheels,

change speed transmission gearingnforward.

i ot' the motor, means for connecting said transinissiongearing at the rearwith the` motor,

and sprocketivheel and chain mechanism op-` eratively connecting said propellery shaft Y With'saidv transmission gea-ring at ythe Yfront thereof. 1 f c y 2. A'tractorcomprising a spring supported frainesteeringineans atthe front ofsaid 1"'rame, propelling Wheels at the lrear thereof,

a motor v'raoul-atedl intermediately Y. on said frame, change speed transmission `mechanism driven bysaid motor andfextending forward"l the-refronna drivers seat,` over saidtrans-` .missionniecllanisnnand means lflexibly connected ththe forward end ,of said transmission mechanism andv operatively connected with thefrearqwheel-sfor driving the saine.

Atl-actorcomprising a springsupported iframe, steering means at the lfront ofisai-d trame, propellingwheels at the rear thereof.

a 'motor mounted intermediately Von said 1 frame, changefspeed transmission mechanism driven by said-motoranfd extending forward therefrom, .a drivers kseat over.A said.y transnfii-s.- sion .mechanismyandqa dri-ve vsha ft extending. under said. motor and flexibly. 4connected;with thefornard eind: of said transmission mecha- 'disposed' iin-front offsaid motor, cla-tch mecha- .nism at the side ot; the motor away-from the.y pro-pi-llinlg,- wheels operablerto connect said transmissionmechanisin with sai-d inotor..,.a shalftaoperatively Aconnected Y with the Y rear wheels for driving thesafme. saijdshatt extending v`tor-Ward ande said motor, i. angd mea itlexibly connecting. the/forward. end

s oft saidfshaft- Awith .sa-.iid transmissionmechani-sin.

5. A motor vehicle comprising a ,it-'rame front andrear. Wheels-, sprii s support-ing' said fra-nio. on said Wheela'atlexible propeller shaft` havingi itsrear end portion connected with the rea-rwglieels, bearing-s carried the frame, tor, the trl-mtv endportiorr ot said propeller shaft, anaotormounted; on. thev trame-. back of said, bea-rings, ycha-nge ,speed ytransmission mech ani 11. mounted .on the 'trameadjacent tothe front end portion ofthe propeller sliaiit5 clli'itch mechanism forward `of `the' motor operableI to.; .connect said transmission mech- Vnis'rnto be` driven. thereby, the-rear end lof mission mechanism` at vthe Y frontv ,hereof y with. the. front yend. portionv .of sai-d propeller' sli-att. l

vconnected AWith thev rear Wheels, a` sprocket Wheelimounted attheforward portion ot said y frame, a chain operatively connecting said sprocket Wheels, and, means comprising change speed gearing' and clutch mechanism forward of the motor for driving said sprocket Wheels from said motor.

7. A motor vehicle comprising a frame, Yfront and rear wheels,springs supporting said frame on said Wheels, a motor mounted on said frame, a propeller shaft extending` forward of the motor and having` a forward end.

portion journaled'on the frame, the rear end portion of said shaft being operatively connected With the rear wheels, means extending forward from said motor and flexibly connected With the propeller shaft for driving the same from said motor, and a brake drum mounted on said foi-Ward end portion vof said propeller shaft. i p

V8. A motorvehicle' comprising a 'fi-ame, front and rear Wheels supportii'ig` said 'lli-ame, a motor mounted-on said frame, a Vpropeller slia't extending `forward of the motor and operatively connected with the rear Wheels, change speed gearing extending,` forward from said motor and connected with the propeller shaft for driving the same from said motor, and a brake drum mounted on theront end portion of said propeller shaft.

A 9. A'motor vehicle comprising a frame, front and rear Wheels supporting` said trame, an internal combustion motor mounted on said frame, said motor having a crank shaft and a cam shaft driven by said crank shaft,

a propeller shaft operatively Yconnected With the rear Wheels, and means for driving said propeller shaft from said cam shaft.

10. A motor vehicle comprising a frame, front and rear Wheels supporting said frame, an internal combustion motor mounted on said frame, said motor having a crank shaft and a cam shaft driven by vsaid Crank shaft, la propeller shaft operatively connected With the rear Wheels, a clutch member carried by A shaft.

Y shaft.

the cam shaft, a cooperating clutch member,

and means `for connecting the latter clutch shat't operatively connected With the vrear Wheels, necting said cam shaft with said propeller 12. A' motor an internal'combustion motor mounted on said frame, said motor having a crank shaft, a

front and rear Wheels supporting said frame,

an internal combustion motor mounted'on said frame, said motor .having a crank` shaft and a cam shaft driven at reduced speed` l'rom saidcrank shaft,V a propeller shaft opera-y tively 'connected With the rear Wheels, and

said motor having a crank shaft: andv a camshalt driven tliereby, apropellerf and transmission gearing Jfor cony o V55 y vehicle comprising a frame, front and rear Wheels supporting said frame,

clutch kmechanismdriven by said cam shaft 'for 4connecting said propeller shatgwith said motor. t

lll. A motor veliiclecomprising a' ra'me, l'ront and rear Wheels supporting said iframe,

an' internal combustion motor mounted on said frame, said motor having,- Va crank` shaft and a cam shaft )driven at reduced speed from said crank shaft, a propeller shaft operatively connected With the rear Wheels, clutch' mechanism driven by said cam shaft, and i transmission mechanisminterposed between said clutch mechanism andsaid propeller Bonner J. BURRoWs. 

